Mean s for operating pare registers



I. IVI. DAPRON.

MEANS FOR OPERATING FARE REGISTERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23, 1918.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

'IIIIIIIIIII PATENT OFFICE.

.JOSEPH IVI. DAPROJBL 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

'MEANS yFOR OPERATING FAR-E REGISTERS.

Application filed August 2S, 1918.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that losnrrr M. DnrnoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented new andusefu'l Improvements in Means for Operating F are Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fare registers, and more particularly to means for operating the same. Ilthas for its principal objects to produce a simple and efficient controlling and actuating means which is positive and rapid in action and operates with but slight physicaletfort on the part of the operator; `to produce a means ofoperation and control-which does not restrict the location of the register on the ear, and at the same .time eliminates an extended system of operating frods, levers' and other mechanical elements; to produce a means of operation and control which is particularly well adapted for, but notneeessarily limited to, a oneman car,or, in other words, a car on which one .person serves both as driver and farecollector or conductor; andto attain certain other advantages as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention consists essentially in la novel apparatusoperating by fluid-pressure, preferably rcompressed air; and. further, in the parts and combinations and arrangements yof parts' hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawing illustrating a practical:embodiment of the invention,-

Figure 1 is a view,.more or less diagram- 1natic, showing how anapparatus operating by con'ipressed-air may be applied to a (leidde-acting fare :register-g :Figure 2 is a section through lthe double-acting registeroperating motor cylinder; Figure 3 is a sectionthrough the controllingvalve cylinder; Figure i isa section through the (dreck-valve cylinder; liligure 5 `is an end view of a controlling valve element; Figure is a similar view ofa modified form ofthe controlling valve element; Figure 7 is a section through a single-acting'register-operating motor cylinder; and, Figure Y8 Vis a view illustrating a :further modification wherein a vfluid or liquid piston is employed.

Referring now Vto the drawing, the numeral 1 designates an ordinary double-acting fare register, or, in other words, a register for indicating separately the number of Specification-of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2S, 192.2.

serial No. 251,193.

tickets and cash fares collected. This register is merely shown conventionally, as t-he particular' construction of itself, except as hereinafter pointed out, does not enter into the present invention.

As shown, the register' 1 is provided with a reciprocatory actuator-bar or link 2, which, when moved endwise in one direction, effects vthe actuation of the cash indicator 3, and

in the opposite'direction causes the actuation of the tickets indicator at.

The actuator-bar 2 is attached, as at 5. to an arm G on the neck portion 7 of a doubleheaded piston whose heads S may, or may not, be provided with packing rings 9, as desired. The piston works in a cylinder lO having a slot l1 through which the arm G projects and is guided.

Preferably, the cylinder 10 is made in two half-sections which are hanged at their meeting ends, as at 12; said flanges beingapertured for the reception of securing'bolts 13. So, too, the cylinder may be slotted on opposite sides, as shown more clearly in Figure Q, so as to obviate the necessity for making separate patterns; that is, the two sections are made exactly alikeinstead of rights and lefts as would otherwise be required. vEach section is provided with the apertured ears or bracket extensions 14 for the reception of screws or bolts'in mounting the cylinder for use.

ln use the piston is returned to neutral or normal position by the spring or springs usually provided on the register; or, obviously, aspring or springsmay be provided -in the cylinder to act directly on the piston for thispurpose.

Communicating with the ends of the cylinder 10 `are pipes 15, '16, the one to supply compressed-air to actuate the piston in thel direction to operate the cash indicator, and

fthe other to actuate the piston to effect the operation of the tickets indi *atolz .ls shown in Figure l. the apparatus is arranged for a double-ended car; that is. one on which the conductor-s or fare-takefs station changes from one end of the car to the yother at the. end of the run or trip. In this case, the pipes 15 and 16 respectively connect with the ycheckialve easings 17, 18; said casings having oppositely disposed pipe connections 19.2() and 19a, 20' to the respective controlling valve casings at the ends of the car or the stations occupied by the conductor or fare-taker.

According to the arrangen'ient shown in Fgure 1, there is a controlling valve, designated generally by the numeral 21, for the cash indicator actuation, and another, 22, for the tickets indicator actuation, at one end of the car; while at the opposite end ot the car are like valves 21a and 22;L respectively for the same purpose.

1n the respective'check-valve casings or cylinders 17 and 18, are piston-blocks 23 which are shifted to one end or the other ot the casing according to the direction in which the fluid pressure is conducted to the casing through the pipes 19 or 20, or 19a or 20a, as the case may be; and always leaving communication open to the pipes 15, 16, but serving to effectually block oft' communicL tion between the oppositely disposed pipes 119 and 20 and '1. a and 20".

The several controlling valves are alike in construction. Hence, a single description oit one will suflice itor all. As shou'n more clearly in Figure 3, this valve comprises a casing or cylinder 24 to which the conducting pipe 19. 19a, 2O or 20a, as the case may be, is connected at a point above a cheek-valve 25 which Works in a chamber 26 in the lower part of the casing. Communicating with the chamber 26 is a pipe 27 leading from a suit` able source of fluid pressure supply, Which source may be the same usually provided for the air-brake equipment on the ear. As shown, the valve 25 is yielda-bly held to its seat 28 by a spring 29, but it is obvious that, in some cases, this spring may be eliminated and the air pressure alone depended upon to hold the valve to its seat.

Above where the pipe 19, 19, 2O or 20u connects, as the case may be, the easing or cylinder 24; is provided with ports or exhaust apertures 30 affording vents for a chamber 'b1 in which a second check-valve 32 Works.

This valve 32 is opposed to a seat 3211. It may be made integral With` or attached to, the valve 25, so as to Work simultaneously therewith, but for convenience in the manufactiu'e and assembling of the valve structure as a whole it is made separately, but so as to engage the vvalve 25 as shown in the drawings. y

The two valves 2V, 32, are made as exact luplicates, and so as to be reversible, in order to avoid confusion inv assembling them. As shown, they comprise a, body portion in the form of a disk (see Figures 5 and (i) whose sides are squared to afford a .free passage on opposite sides when unseated, the flattening being on two or four sides, as desired. On the opposite faces of the disks are stems 33 which are polygonal in cross section, whereby to afford a guide for the valve and yet permit a free passage of the air through the bores in which they Work. ,y Resting on the stem of the upper valve 32 is an operating plunger or pedal-pin Bil to be depressed by the operator, either by the application of his hand or foot, but preferably in the latter Way, When it is desired to actuate the register. The pin 311- is preterably made removable so as to be taken out when the operator leaves his station, and thereby prevent an accidental or unauthorized operation of the register.

For convenience in manufacture and repair, a removable plug is provided in the lower end of the cylinder 2%, and another plug 36 is provided in the upper end, the latter having an apertured annular flange or` collar 37 for attachment to the floor or platform or other convenient place in the region of the operators station,

The check-valve 25 is normally closed and the valve 32 open (see Figure l'Vhen it is desired to actuatc theregister the operator presses the plunger or pedal-pin 311-. thereby seating vthe valve 32 on its seat 32 and simultaneously unseating the valve 27 'from its seat 2S. For example. thc operator presses the plunger of the controlling valvel 21. The operation of the valve members 25 and occurs as just above noted. and the air pressure is set up in the pipe 19, thereby moving the piston-block 23 to the end of the casing or cylinder 17 to check the floiv into the pipe 20, which latter pipe at this time is open to the atmosphere through the chamber 31 and ports 30 of the valve cylinder 21". The pipe 20 being thus blocked by the member 23 nopressure from the pipe 19 is set up therein, but.y through the pipe 15, the comin'cssed-air is conducted. to the cylinder 10 Where it acts against the piston so as to move the latter to the lett, vievving it as shown in lFigures 1 and 2, and thereby etlecting the actuation of the cash indicator 3.

-llpouthe release of' the pressure ot the operators hand or `toot, as the case may be, from the plunger 31.-, the valves 2o and 32 are raised by the spring 29 and air pressure from the supply pipe 27. the valve 25 seating to cheek communication betvvccn the pipe 27 and pipe 19 and chamber 31; and the valve 32 bei ng unseated. the pressure in the cylinder 19 and pipes 15 and 19 is exhausted to atmospheric pressure through the ports 30 in the cylinder or casing 24 o'l the -ontrolling valve 21; whereupon the piston in the cylinder 10 and the register-actuating mechanism connected thereto are .restored to neutral or normal position.

The actuation of the tickets indicator is cllected in like manner bythe manipulation et the controlling valve 22. the ynessure being set up in the cylinder 10 through the pipes 19"L and 16, and exhausted through the ports 30 of the said controlling valv(` 22. The operation is the same. of course. from the opposite end of the car. nit obviouslv througl'i the controlling valves 21"l and and pipes 20 and 29a; y

In. cases fvvliere the register to be operated from but one rend or station on the car, it is obvious-that the check-valves l? and 1S are dispensed Withand the connection betiveen the cylinder l0 and the controlling valve 2l or Q2 ivill be as by one pipe.

It is to be understood that the stroke ot' the valve members and is relativel)7 short; that is, just a small fraction ot an inch. Therefore, the action is quick and the leakage during the movement ot' the valve members is almost imperceptible'and there is no appreciable or undueivaste ot poiver.

By using an apparatuses herein set iorth the actua-tion ot the register is positive and elllected with speed and but slight exertion on the pai't ot 'the operator as conuiared with the usual mechanical contrivances hereto'tore most generally en'iploved. It also facilitates the entire control ot car b v one person, in that the controlling valve ma)1 be placed conveniently to be operated b v the drivers iloot, thereby leaving his hands tree to control the motiveequipment et the car and to attend the duties usuallv required ot a conductor or tare-taker.

Y Obviously, instead o'l operating" a doublez'u'ting tare register, as shown in Figure l, tivo single-acting registers may be operated by arranging` them in tandem, or otherwise, and connecting` them separately to the piston extension or arm 6. So, too, a separate single-acting motor, as shoivn in Figure T, may he used, in which case there must, ot course, be one for each register.

It is to be understood that the terni tare registei does not confine the invention in .its application to ordinary ilare registers per se, but is to include vtare boxes having registering mechanism such as is ordinarily operated manually or pedally by the conductor or tare-collector as the 'Fares are deposited; and also to include tare boxes not equilnicd Vwith a registering device` but having the usual trap door or valve ivhich controls the passage ot the coin or ticket trom the visual receiving chamber or hopper into the linal repository7 or compartment ot the box, and which, ot course, is operated at the will of the conductor or tare-collector, ln this connection it is to be noted that the apparatus may be a rranged to opera-le an ordinary 'tare register and a separate Ytare box at the. saine time; that is, simultaneously n on the actuation ot a single controlling 'valve i lt is further within the contemplation ot the invention to use fluid pressure other than compressed-air; and it is also obrious that the communicating end portion olI the motor cylinder' and the respective ronducting pipes connecting the same with the controlling valves may be lilled with a non-com` pressible fluid or liquid acting as a pliable piston against the piston in the motor cylinder, it being understood, ol' course, that a piston or plunger block will be interposed betveen the column ot fluid orliquid 1n the Apipes 1S?j lll, Q0 and QOL and the respective controlling valves 2l, 21, 22 and Q2, and in ivhich case the check-valve 1T will be dis pensed with.

.\n arrangement tor accon'iplisliing this latter embodiment ot the invention is shovvn in VFigure 8 ol the drawing. The plunger or piston block is shoivn as comprising an abutment or head 39 Working in the larger portion 39 ot a couplingl c vlinder 4:0, and :i smaller head tl working in the correspondingfyv smaller portion t2 ot the cylinder, the tivo heads being connected by a neck 4?. llence, ivhen the lluid pressure trom the controlling valve is brought to bear on the head 3S, the head 4l is pressed against the column ot illuid or liquid in the pipe 19, ivhich in turn actuates the piston in the motor c vlinder l0; the supply and release ot the pressure being` controlled through the valve 21 as hereinbe'lorc d scribed.

It is also obvious that the apparatus ad mits o't considerable further modification and alteration without in the least departingtrom the spirit ot the invention as dclined bv the appended claims, and. theretore, it is notflimited to the specific construe tion shoivn in the d 'awing lhat is claimed is:

l. ln an apparatus oi: the character described` a register, a vtluid pressure motor lniving an operable connection with said register whereby to actuate the latter, and a controlling device, normally maintained by the tluid pressure supply tor exhausting the pressure trom said motor and being operable at the will ot the operator tor checking the exhaust and simultaneously admitting the tluid pressure to said motor.

9. In an apparatus ot the charm-ter described, a register having a spring-restored actuator mechanism, a reeiprocatory .piston motor, the piston oit said motor having means thereon for actuating the actuator mechanism o'l the register when the piston is moved in one direction and means Whereby the piston is restored to normal position a'liter such actuation, a conducting pipe 'tor tlnid pressure to said motor, and a controlling device having means yieldably maintained by the '[iuid pressure supply tor normally exhausting pressure in said conduct-ing pipe and beingr operable at the will ot the operator tor checkingthe exhaust and at the saine time admitting the Huid pressure to said conducting pipe.

The combination ot a 'tare register, a tluid pressure motor having an operable connection ivith the actuator mechanism of the register, a conducting pipe for fluid pressure connected to the motor to operate the same, and controlling device having means Ytor exhausting pressure in said conducting pipe, cfa-operating` check elements respectively controlling the exhaust from and the pressure supply to said conducting pipe, said check elements having a correlated and co-eperative inverse actuation whereby the one is closed when the other is open7 and being maintained normally by the fluid pressure supply to exhaust the pressure in said conducting' pipe and simultaneously check pressure supply thereto and means operable by the operator at his will Vtor eilecting the actuation ot said check elements from normal position.

el.. ln an apparatus of the character described. a reciprocatory piston motor, controlling` deices located respectively at two opposite stations, conducting pipes connected at their outer ends to said controlling de vices, respectively, and at their meeting ends to a branch coupling, a branch conductingpipe connected at one end to said coupling and at .its opposite end to said motor, and a reciprocatory check element in said ceupling, said cheek element being operable by the pressure in either et said first mentioned conducting pipes and serving to prevent communication between the same, but permitting' communication between said brauch conducting pipe and the one of said first mentioned conducting pipe in which pressure is induced, the said controlling;- devices having' means tor normally exhausting` pressure in the respective conducting pipes and means l'or checking the exhaust and at the same time admitting pressure to the respective condilicting` pipes at the will ot the operator.

5. The combination ot a double-acting Vtare register, a double-actingl reciprocatory piston motor, the piston of said motor having;` means for actuating` the actuator mechanism of the register when the piston is moved in either direction, and controlling; devices, operable at the will of the operator, tor effecting the actuation olsaid motor.

(ilu an apparatus of the character described, a conducting pipe, a sujriply pipe. and a controlling device connectingr said pipes communicably, said device having an exhaust outlet, a cheek-valve controlling comnninication `bctvreen said conducting pipe a nd said exhaust outlet and being normally open, a check-valve controlling coininunication between said conductingf pipe and said supply pipe, and being normally closed by the pressure in the supply pipe and an operating element operable at the will oi the operator for closing` said Iirst mentioned check-valve and at the same time opening' said second mentioned check-valve.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 5th da)r et i-\u,efust7 1918.

JOSEP Yl M. DAPR-(LY. 

